Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-07-08
RAMBLES IN JAPAN.
a MONASTERY FOUNDED in THE
EIGHTH CENTURY.


From letter from Kioto to TN,
Sacramento Record Uaton the follow
ing statements are taken:
The first evening in Kioto showed
me as pretty picture rs l have ye
seen. 1t was dark, and | had gone to
the house of Japanese whom knew,
but the kuruma man. mistaking the
number. took me to place near by.
entered the vestbule. and the shot
being pushed aside, | saw a number OF
japanese men and women seated abo nj
huge fire-boX box W tn books in their
hands. Sitting with them and reading
was priest dressed in the simple black
robe always worn when not officiating.
tie came forward and spoke in French
to me, and then in English. He knew
my friend who had gone to Toxic; SO
baked little with him. Here is his
nome, with no mark about it 10 dis
tlnguish il from the surrounding
houses, save his name on the gate, he
holds service, has his classes, and
works quietly and surely, living as the
people and among them, not holding
himself aloof. not condescending but
going with. He does not complain of
discom!orts. but makes his love for his
labor support him. This picture,
soming so soon after the European life
l had seen in Kobe among his rival
workers in the same field taught me
lesson which | wish others could
profit By.
1t is fact that missionaries have
iived here in Japan for more than a
year without eating a japanese meal,
without having slept but once under
the Japanese futons, and, living most
OF that time in large school had not
taken interest enough in the life about
them TO know how the pupils bath was
heated These are little tn nps. but
they make sum total of a great deal.
When man says, "a one did. that
none can be Christian SO long as they
SIT on The floor; when these supposed
followers of the Great Teacher 90 up-
mountain of luggage, and then preach
the gospel of Him who had not where
TO lay HIS head, when their own
creature comforts hold so prominent a
place in ali proceedings, what possible
chance is there for them to hold their
ground against the man who works in
the way OF this good father whom |
met this evening? They tell me that
by living well and with all these home
luxuries they show the people what a
Christian home is like.
q kioto is city of palaces, and has a
quarter of a million inhabitants, but il
Is the past of Kioto, which overlighting
the present, gives the traveller food for
wonder SO wofully tired have | be-
come of those palaces and temples
that l would willingly give up all the
splendor OF this ancient capital for a
sight of green fields, only | feel it TO be |
a duty TO visit them now that | am so |
near. My first wonder at the enormous |
are of japanese buildings is gradually |
evaporating, and with good reason.
For instance, | am told that this roval |
palace was built over thousand years
ago, and after | have sufficiently mar
veled l am informed that it was burned
to the ground a few years after but
even this date leaves It relic of
antiquity, and | marvel again, only to
be told of another total destruction.
and so OH through ten or more until
the actual date of the palace is brought
down to 1855. Perhaps you are shown
to weather-worn stone and told with
evident pride that it is over a thousand
years old. OF course it is, and would
be even if it had been left where nature
placed it, and / wish ii had been.
The enclosed grounds of the palace
twenty-six acres, nearly all
covered. by buildings full Of the richest
and Oldest of art was pointed to q
sherry tree planted by Mmmio in S4O
but this thousand-year-o fruit tree.
h seems, has been renewed, and the
present tree planted by Nimmio" was
put in the ground thirty-one years ago.
If this system is perfectly legitimate,
zee no reason why the Golden Gate
park should not have Adams
apple tree from the Garden of
Eden or that of the father of his coun.
Try.
The other night, as sat in the dim
light OF lantern waiting for bed and
bed time TO como, solemn figure en- ,
cred my room, and, kneeing before
ne, struck its forehead three times to
he floor repeating at each obesance ,
he name Washington! Washington 1
Washington" l was, indeed, taken by !
but / recovered in time to re- 1
ply in the same stately manner: mo I
,unaga! Nobunaga! Nobunaga!" much I
o the evident satisfaction of the figure, c
which, after surveying me for some |